Last Christmas, we had a crap start,
When we went to play, Accrington away.
This year, we’re six points clear,
and we’re watching a team that’s special.
Merry Christmas.
Last Christmas, we had a crap start,
When we went to play, Accrington away.
This year, we’re six points clear,
and we’re watching a team that’s special.
Merry Christmas.
Have a good christmas UTS ppl.
Have a great Christmas cheers to everyone and absent friends god bless you all
Whilst Walsall fans can celebrate Christmas it’s important to remember those suffering from famine in Burslem (3 goals in 6 games)
May be we could hold a concert for them!
Feed the proles (let them know it’s Walsalltime) …
I just hope we aren’t visited by the ghost of Christmas Past…1967, 6 points clear at Christmas but finished 7th that season. What I can’t remember is whether other teams who caught us had games in hand, making it a bit of a false position. So I will keep my feet on the ground for now, at least until Easter
As Noddy says merry Christmas everybody!
Never knew that. Seems we were deservedly top!
Seems a slightly odd season. Lots of teams falling away. Not just Walsall.
Merry Christmas folks - have a good un and look forward to Boxing Day
UTS
I remember that season, under the Harrisons, with Jimmy Murray and Colin Tayler scoring for fun in the first half of the season… But with only 6 wins and 7 draws, the equivalent of 25 points now, from the second half, it was a major disaster, almost relegation form. But I cannot remember the reason, if there was one.
Interesting that we had played 23 games by Christmas. And I think the season started later in those days.
Wikipedia says we changed manager on 1 March 1968 from ray shaw to dick Graham, suggests perhaps there was something not quite right behind the scenes? That may explain the poor 2nd half of the season.
Dick Graham then left Walsall to take over Colchester United for the start of the 1968-69 season and was manager when they beat Don Revies Leeds in the fa cup.
Wow. I knew none of this.
I can’t find it, but @Fellows1926 probably has a copy of the programme from this time that season. It showed Sandy Saddler dressed as Santa climbing a ladder with a massive bagful of points ,with other clubs below looking up with much smaller bags. It turned into a definition of hubris. I don’t think the same thing will happen this time, but warnings from history are always interesting.
Wow look peterborough 5th place with 26 points at christmas finished bottom with 31 just 5 points after christmas
19 point deduction or else they’d have been between us and Barrow on goal difference.
Just noticed lol thought that was bad lol
Yes, that was one of my favourite programme covers, partly because we were top but also because of the Christmas theme.
It cannot happen again…can it?
On the positive side, even with that awful run, we still finished just off (on goal average) what would have been a play-off position, had there been any.
@Shrewsbury-Saddler Programme cover v Watford 1967
It can , but I don’t think it will. Last season, we signed Faal to replace Draper. He wasn’t such a bad replacement. He had an amazing knack of being in the right place, even if his finishing was nowhere near as good. It was also a mistake to start with him when he was out of fuel ,due to observing Ramadan. He should have been used as a sub then. I think any replacement for Lowe, if needed, will be better than Faal.
Otherwise ,even without Hall , our cup matches have shown we have players who can just come in and do a job. And look at the back three depth. Daniels, MacEntee and possibly the Priest to come in if we have problems .